(a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an optical fiber having a light-emitting segment, and more particularly, to an optical fiber having a light-emitting segment having a long and thin shape, wherein light beams inputted into an end thereof are transmitted in an almost total reflection manner to the other end thereof with minimal attenuation. The optical fiber having a light-emitting segment according to the invention is suitable for applications of decorative purposes such as optical fiber bouquets, Christmas tree lights and wings of angel dolls.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Large numbers of optical fiber cords are generally used in optical fiber applications for decorative purposes. One end (usually an input end) of the optical fiber cords is bundled, and cords of individual optical fibers may then be stretched, gathered or arranged, or lengthened or shortened based upon styles or designs of decorative objects to be applied in order to construct appropriate shapes and patterns desired. The bundled end of the optical fiber cords is secured to a device having a dynamic light-emitting mechanism comprising a light bulb, a color plate and a motor. When the light-emitting device is activated, light beams from the light bulb are passed through the transparent color plate, which rotates at a low speed and is also divided into regions of different colors and stripes. Next, the constantly changing and multicolor light beams produced are entered into the input ends of the optical fiber bundle, and are displayed as dynamic and exuberant colors via ends of the optical fibers to form multiple brilliant light spots distributed around the decorative objects.
However, in a prior optical fiber cord, due to characteristics of optical fibers, only one small light spot having a size equal to a sectional area of a certain optical fiber can be formed at an end of the optical fiber cord, and thus presentation of colors is somewhat limited. To attain large areas of light spots, it is necessary to substantially increase the quantity of the optical fibers. Not only production cost thereof is greatly increased, but also complications caused by arranging and securing large numbers of optical fibers are relatively elevated. Furthermore, shiny effects of conventional optical fiber cords are exhibited exclusively at ends of the cords in a form of light spots, and hence application flexibilities of glittering effects of the optical fibers are restrained. It shall be noted that designs of decorative objects using optical fibers are frequently accommodated according to structural characteristics of optical fibers instead of being able to be freely and independently developed. As a result, some industrialists have tried to process middle portions of optical fiber cords by either cutting or bending in order to change light-transmissive structures of the optical fibers, and light spots are indeed shown at the cut or bent portions. Yet, the optical fibers having been cut or bent are also damaged to a large extent with respect to the structures thereof. Therefore, the cut and bent optical fibers are often difficult to assemble or to use, and are rather non-endurable by being easily fractured at the cut or bent portions.